For retired Adm. William McRaven, UT chancellorship ‘a new journey’

Judging by the exclamation point and the words themselves, William McRaven is pumped about becoming chancellor of the University of Texas System.

“New year, new beginnings!” McRaven wrote Sunday evening in his first missive on Twitter. “Excited to begin a new journey as Chancellor @utsystem tomorrow.”

McRaven, 59, retired in August after 37 years in the military, most recently as a four-star admiral overseeing U.S. Special Operations forces worldwide. He is best known for directing the raid in which al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden was killed.

Upon his appointment that month to the UT System post, he praised then-Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa, saying he would subscribe to three tenets expounded by his predecessor: the unwavering pursuit of “greatness” in everything the system does, the notion that teaching and scholarly research go hand in hand, and the flexibility to adapt in the face of demographic and technological changes. He also hinted that he would work to repair the system’s fractured relationship with the state Legislature.

Another challenge: restoring harmony on the Board of Regents, whose nine members — collectively his new bosses — have been divided on a variety of matters, in particular the role of embattled Regent Wallace L. Hall Jr., currently under criminal investigation by the Travis County district attorney’s Public Integrity Unit.

McRaven actually became a system employee last month, holding the position of chancellor-designate without pay. Starting Monday, his annual salary will be $1.2 million, plus $400,000 in deferred compensation. He will be eligible for non-guaranteed annual performance and retention bonuses totaling $300,000, plus a one-time completion bonus of $300,000 for serving out his three-year contract term.

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